[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6229687,"mediaKeyId","3455882-bad6a29e40e875e853205e01fda3d52d","parentId",3455882,"title","Concord Finance Committee elects leadership slate; members bid farewell to departing colleagues","audioSeconds",212,"startMs",4771000,"endMs",4983000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3455882-bad6a29e40e875e853205e01fda3d52d&start=4771&end=4983","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3455882-bad6a29e40e875e853205e01fda3d52d/thumbnail_4771000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6229687/Massachusetts/Concord-Finance-Committee-elects-leadership-slate-members-bid-farewell-to-departing-colleagues","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6229687-2e9831570612f2f9e6358d6e34650cdf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771051273&Signature=IfSSS7TtYAAM1m~Hn9VJQb718SmVJk2NqN9EGNMCWpdv9Vn95lXRMh2wUUll1o5wPX54ShPMqYKNqL3UPaypOe-rYKsvNudlQU3Aw~WnMmH7iK6tSzcoXImXvjBd5bFuATqmpVMjE6OuU63bkv-xTwWXX~Z9tCrvlRCPmn6AAZ6LqsbvhzepSbRcO4Hf9Bs60zzuZVxzJKqAveg6k92GA-~vMtA4jHQD-ZdAF~1FxduRM1RVO7ZSoCUYqhldNqRvDO2ZdfvouDCctiPA0755bKZacI46bD08kEhUCOrmU~Xa63a9uK3ffI-FqJoMS2Iuky7fsoWhrYSYjz7vYj3d3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Concord, MA","date","2025-05-23T02:59:21Z","article","The Concord Finance Committee nominated and unanimously elected a six‑person leadership slate for the 2025–26 cycle that will take office after town meeting adjourns, and the committee publicly thanked departing members Dee Ortner and Greg Gariello.

Nominations and vote: Chair Eric Dahlberg presented a proposed slate: Lois as chair, Lindsay as vice chair, Colin as clerk, Pat as vice clerk, Dawn as guidelines subcommittee chair and Paul as guidelines vice chair. A member nominated the slate and another seconded; the committee conducted a roll‑call vote and the slate was elected unanimously. Roll‑call confirmations named committee members in attendance voting aye, including Kathy Kuoklop, Eric Dahlberg, Pet Geier, Greg Gariello, Dawn Kupka, Lindsay Liss, Dee Ortner, Carlin Reed, Kasiza Druzman, Sri Tupole and Lewis Wasoff; the clerk declared the vote unanimous.

Why it matters: The elected officers will assume their duties after annual town meeting adjourns and will lead the Finance Committee through the 2025–26 budget cycle and town meeting preparations. The committee discussed that the new officers’ term begins after town meeting and continues until adjournment of the next year’s town meeting.

Farewells: The committee offered brief remarks of appreciation and small tokens to thank departing members Dee Ortner and Greg Gariello for their service. Members praised the departing members for their questions, ability to foster consensus and steadying contributions to the committee’s work.

Next steps: The newly elected officers will take on leadership responsibilities after town meeting. The committee agreed to meet one more time in late June (proposed June 26 at 6:30 p.m.) for debriefing and transition planning before the new leadership’s formal start date.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Concord: Finance Committee May 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its last regular meeting before town meeting the Concord Finance Committee elected a six‑person leadership slate by unanimous roll call and offered public thanks and small gifts to outgoing members Dee Ortner and Greg Gariello.","taxTitle","Town of Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts","taxId",68746,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6229692,"Concord Finance Committee finalizes town‑meeting roles and logistics; members urged to attend in person",1029,2041000,3070000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3455882-bad6a29e40e875e853205e01fda3d52d&start=2041&end=3070","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3455882-bad6a29e40e875e853205e01fda3d52d/thumbnail_2041000.jpg","/articles/6229692/Massachusetts/Concord-Finance-Committee-finalizes-townmeeting-roles-and-logistics-members-urged-to-attend-in-person","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6229692-e6a5e40b82b4c66377cb8273b682307b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771051273&Signature=BETOaf7mYAVF3n2YGd5kuPU6vK1IfCzD9-C6gtJrPiUXRQEJ1bx9Z3JhE7ipKDU5jQ0Cksq26O6vsRI8tPruO3DYzdHcT2olHpjGQCCONV05sT67SP7vgRkgjiS92PKVQvS91uSdTIEoY5wdznPYcErtLP-IZlPV9W2f~NRHKjyKN-s77hay4dgd39KBopnYpnjwqKKOHVAVVR9J8sh9i2-8BRvNYn0RdxVTgzE1sV5LrfPjaMusTttKzmkb4AYytNq3ZPOO7Q-GaUYL3mBFlZ56HQJ7FPpBYiQjWXYVv2N6uVL-mx-GJpXfMtFNEg5iMuPWg0RPME-n0dnccgz~Xw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Concord Finance Committee used its regular meeting to finalize preparations for the annual town meeting that begins Monday, June 2, including speaker assignments for the three budget articles, pre‑meeting logistics and expectations that committee members attend in person.

Chair Eric Dahlberg told members town meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 2 and may continue into subsequent nights as needed. He asked all committee members to attend in person because the group “may be asked to take a position on timely items,” such as amendments that affect spending or borrowing. Members were told to check in at the front desk to obtain voting clickers and to sit at the Finance Committee table near the front of the hall.

Assignments and consent calendar: Dahlberg circulated proposed speakers for individual warrant articles, generally assigning the committee member who authored the narrative in the committee’s report as the standby speaker. The committee reserved the right to speak on other articles if asked by the moderator or if questions arise during debate; Dahlberg said, “we're there as a resource.” Members also noted that many noncontroversial articles are on a consent calendar and may not require a FinCom statement unless pulled for discussion.

Timing and rules: Finance Committee members were reminded there is no Zoom option for town meeting and that the moderator had allotted time for a traditional introductory statement and one minute (approximately) for each of the three budget articles. Members who speak as private citizens should do so from the audience microphones and explicitly state they are speaking as individuals, not representing the committee.

Other logistics and issues: The committee set a tentative pre‑town meeting check‑in for 5:45 a.m. (noting earlier conversation about arriving before the 6:30 start) on Monday, June 2 to confirm attendance and collect materials; the chair will post the FinCom meeting for that time. Members discussed the consent calendar, the moderator’s instruction to move town meeting more quickly this year and the practicalities of standing to give brief, reasoned explanations if a controversy is raised. Committee members also flagged a pending question about Article 33 (a proposed $250,000 allocation for the MCI Concord project) and a possible state earmark; staff noted that any state appropriation would still have to clear the legislative process, and timing could make state funds unavailable before the town’s November deadline.

Why it matters: Town meeting is the town’s principal fiscal decisionmaking body. The Finance Committee’s presence, prepared statements and availability to explain recommendations can shape voter understanding of budget and spending articles. The committee’s final assignments aim to streamline debate while preserving the ability to explain the rationale behind recommendations.

Next steps: Dahlberg will post the FinCom pre‑meeting for Monday, June 2 (tentatively 05:45) and circulate the final list of standby speakers and article assignments. Members were told to notify the chair in advance if they cannot attend so the committee can preserve a quorum and cover positions at town meeting.","With annual town meeting set to start Monday, June 2, the Concord Finance Committee reviewed speaker assignments for key budget articles, agreed to a pre‑meeting check‑in, clarified seating and voting procedures, and emphasized that members should attend in person to respond to timely amendments.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6229697,"Concord finance officials report $15.9 million certified free cash, staff asked to detail sources and options",1103,143000,1246000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3455882-bad6a29e40e875e853205e01fda3d52d&start=143&end=1246","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3455882-bad6a29e40e875e853205e01fda3d52d/thumbnail_143000.jpg","/articles/6229697/Massachusetts/Concord-finance-officials-report-159-million-certified-free-cash-staff-asked-to-detail-sources-and-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6229697-79b5f75ef139bc528b331a9c7e3b503c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771051273&Signature=dWQ5GsG1J0hGot6KjQL0wA0oR7PRqOXS1RZXxfbsiXytrG-bF4ysAcTnZcFIs~xRkSGS65Pfxtd87FdHTJmlSLOFBhsQNN5KrLEMn2dNk8WxIJoVecffGF879bH0-~OeswdOXBjW0Xy1JSe8pkkW3c5Ut6wZdrwnOrMs9Sze~lGcmJRv65yrXvbuTu7MsvnByLCZu1~TPSAjKvk7BBc0WyFP7uOl4RH-9-E4croau3zYX2x81hKjIru-7covU~b~lpLYpMbO10k2VZ4-a3DeGKwPiHkP9mSEP8TcnRLK9E0xG~VA0TwZbrpPYE94VpvN~tbbPidq0ASVlOS1d1fakA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Town of Concord’s free cash was certified on May 16 at $15,898,216, town finance staff told the Concord Finance Committee, prompting committee members to ask for a detailed accounting of how that total was reached and how the funds should be used.

Finance staff member Anthony, briefing the committee, said the certification “was more than even what we thought” and walked through the main contributors: a large interest return on temporarily held bond proceeds for the middle school borrowing, higher‑than‑expected local receipts (particularly interest income), jet fuel excise receipts tied to Hanscom, salary savings from vacancies, and a one‑time accounting cleanup tied to closing prior‑year purchase orders and the migration to a new accounting system. Anthony said, “our free cash was certified on May 16, and the dollar amount was, $15,898,216.”

Committee members pressed for specifics because the certified amount is large relative to the town budget. Eric Dahlberg, chair of the Finance Committee, asked how the figure translated into a percentage of the town budget; committee member Colin calculated the amount equals roughly 11 percent of a $144 million budget. Anthony reported a working projection that four warrant articles planned against free cash would leave a projected balance of about $13.7 million (about 13.3 percent by the town’s calculation) but cautioned that outstanding items could reduce that figure.

Why it matters: free cash is unrestricted, one‑time town money that the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) certifies annually. Anthony summarized the DOR timing and constraints: certification allows use of free cash between May 16 and June 30 for the fiscal year, and the balance becomes part of the town’s fiscal position for the coming year. He warned that some legacy COVID reimbursement issues could reduce available balances: “There’s a FEMA account that has it’s about 750,000 to the negative right now. So that has to get cleaned up,” Anthony said, and he recommended conservatively treating part of the certified amount as already needed to close that gap.

Committee discussion and direction: members repeatedly requested a more detailed breakdown showing which years and line items produced the one‑time cleanup and savings. Dawn Kupka asked for a report “that actually says, here's where it came from, and here's what we're doing to type, you know, what we've changes we've made so that we don't have these kinds of surprises again.” Anthony agreed to provide additional, drilled‑down information from the accounting consultants and staff. The committee also discussed options for using the funds: Anthony recommended moving money into stabilization accounts, saying that stabilization avoids consuming one‑time revenue for recurring costs. “If the state aid was cut a million dollars to Concord… the only option would be no cushion — we’d have to immediately reduce services,” Anthony said, urging prudence and recommending stabilization and debt‑stabilization savings as priorities.

Several committee members reiterated long‑standing budget principles: avoid using one‑time revenue to permanently reduce the tax levy and prefer one‑time uses such as pay‑downs of debt or contributions to stabilization funds. The group also noted that DOR certifies the free cash figure and performs its own verification; Anthony said that the Department of Revenue “spends 2 weeks and verifies everything, and then they're the ones that certify.”

Next steps: the Finance Committee directed Anthony to return with a detailed breakdown of the certified free cash (sources by year and by account), an accounting of the one‑time cleanup that produced the $3.4 million and how much of the total reflects vacancies versus other adjustments, and a short menu of policy options (stabilization, debt pay‑down, one‑time capital). The committee also noted an apparent obligation related to outstanding FEMA/CARES accounting that the staff flagged as likely to reduce the usable balance by about $1 million if the negative FEMA balance must be closed from free cash.

The committee’s request for additional detail and the staff recommendation to prioritize stabilization funds closed the discussion; Anthony and staff will report back before town meeting.","The Town of Concord’s free cash was certified at $15,898,216 on May 16. Finance staff explained drivers — higher interest income, underspending and accounting cleanup — and the Finance Committee asked staff for a detailed breakdown and options for using the one‑time funds, including stabilization accounts and debt reduction.","actionData","errors"]

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Concord Finance Committee elects leadership slate; members bid farewell to departing colleagues

Concord Finance Committee finalizes town‑meeting roles and logistics; members urged to attend in person

Concord finance officials report $15.9 million certified free cash, staff asked to detail sources and options